Hellen Obiri Quotes

In a marathon, anything can happen.

It is all about focus. The training for 1500m and 5000m is different, you do more because the distance is longer, you basically change everything in training.

I do hope that next year (2024) is going to be good for me because I’ve done a lot and I’ve won the silver medal...So I want to upgrade it to gold.

I am so happy, it was the only medal I missed in my cabinet.

With a year of marathon experience now under my belt, a win in Boston, and my move to the U.S., I’m coming to New York this year (2023) with more confidence and in search of a title...I’m excited to show the people of New York what I’m capable of and that my win at the United Airlines NYC Half in March was just the beginning.

I didn’t know I was going to win because the race was tough. I used my mind and decided to be patient...We had the Ethiopians in the races before and we saw they are strong on the hills. This was the last chance, I don’t think I’m going to go for another World Cross-Country.

I said in my mind let me try to be patient. When were at about 25k, I said ‘patient’. And when I reached 42km, I said, ‘no, I want to win this race.’ And I said, ‘can I just use track speed to go?

I tried to be patient and wait for the right time to happen...Today was my time.

You know, now you are saying you are not alone...There’s someone who depends on me. My daughter needs to go to school, needs to have a good background, a good life. So you have to work hard because someone is looking up to you.

The race was good. I just wanted to seal top two...I have no pressure; I will be facing familiar opponents in Tokyo. I am used to fast-paced races and all I am going to do is continue with my training.

You can’t be like Eliud if you want to sit down and you say, ‘I want to be like Eliud Kipchoge’. Eliud Kipchoge does not sit down and wait to go and win races!

It’s encouraged me a lot to work hard because it’s a new life, it’s a new environment...I said, let me try to win because I asked you [to come] here. No excuses, I must perform. So I think they encouraged me a lot to train and to focus well.

I’m satisfied with my second place finish, what matters most was to finish within 1-2 bracket. I will go back and work hard in training to ensure I do well in Tokyo. I’m really not bothered much with Ethiopians, as a team we will deliver good results.

What came to my mind in New York was to finish the race so I can learn how to do my next marathon...So it helped me a lot to learn about patience. In New York I didn’t know about patience, I ran it like it was a track race.

I have been running 10Ks and half marathons, so I have lost speed to defend my 5,000m title...I want to leave it to the younger athletes.